


Sweet Nothings

by shutupeccles



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-02 11:23:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shutupeccles/pseuds/shutupeccles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Deli Boy' uses an advent calendar to express his feelings for a customer on his delivery route</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Nothings

He has been supplying their lunches, morning and afternoon tea for five and a half years, but they still call him Deli Boy.

A few of the strapping young men from Knights of the Round Table Fitness have flirted with him over the years, between mocking him for being skinny, pale, and bookish – everything they’re not. Gwaine never stops flirting, and Deli Boy always reciprocates because it’s obvious neither of them mean it. There’s one ‘knight’ who captured Deli Boy’s attention from the start. He isn’t as cheeky as Gwaine, polite as Lancelot, friendly as Leon, or built like adjacent brick outhouses like Percival, but he’s the only reason Deli Boy kept this route instead of handing it over to recently acquired minions.

Deli Boy dawdles with his afternoon drop-off, loitering so no-one sees the small, square advent calendar he attaches to the office door of Arthur Pendragon.  


|~~~|

  


Something catches on the corner of Arthur’s peripheral vision as he talks to Percival. Once Percival is gone, Arthur looks at the object properly. Clearly homemade, pockets the right size for a medium-sized chocolate coin, each decorated with a number and Christmassy icon. Seeing as today is December 1st, Arthur carefully investigates the contents of the appropriate pocket.

The blue heart candy says _hi cutie_.

Arthur smiles, then frowns and looks around with suspicion. He’s been in a steady relationship for just over three years, cohabiting for almost eight months. It could be a prank. Mischief abounds when his fellow knights put their heads together. But if someone other than his lover is behind this, and they’re serious…

For now he’ll have to wait and see.  


|~~~|  


  


_Hi cutie_ is followed by _nice bum, sweet thing, heart throb_ , and _kiss_. Deli Boy forgot about the weekend and will have to put _I like you_ and _sexy_ in with _be mine_ on Monday. He’ll be better prepared next Friday.  


|~~~|

  


Arthur hasn’t been able to catch the mystery advent poster after two weeks and keeps his sweets in an old marmalade jar on his desk. He’s tempted to mention it to his partner each time he goes home. If someone at work is responsible, then Merlin will get jealous. If Merlin’s going to the trouble of sneaking treats – which is highly likely – then talking about it will take all the fun out of it.

He finally figures out a safe way to broach the subject, by calling his lover at work. “Some cleverly cheeky person has been leaving advent gifts at my office door. Wish I’d thought of doing something like that for you. Although, instead of sugary sweets…” Arthur uses a low voice to describe various alternatives, some of them very naughty.

Merlin’s laugh is Arthur’s favourite sound, closely followed by the way he says “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Arthur replies and hangs up with a smile. No definite answers there, but at least Merlin isn’t jealous of this mysterious sugar-pusher. Arthur hopes he won’t have to give someone the ‘sorry, not interested’ talk after they’ve gone to all this effort.  


|~~~|

  


“Deli Boy!” Gwaine calls out, catching him in the act of slipping the final three treasures into their pockets and causing him to jump. The most important one drops to the floor and is pushed further under the door in his efforts to retrieve it.

“No, no, no.” Deli Boy kneels in defeat by the door. The offices will be closed from Christmas Eve until who knows when!

“Sorry for startling you. Arthur’s out now, last minute attempt to reschedule a vital financial meeting. He’ll find whatever you dropped after the holidays.” Gwaine rests a comforting hand on Deli Boy’s shoulder.

“How? He won’t know to look for it and the cleaner will probably suck it up without noticing! A weeks’ profit…!”

“Fifty quid?” Gwaine tries to be funny.

“Try nine hundred and fifty. I **started** _Emrys Delicatessens_.” Deli Boy stands and kicks the door. Weeks of preparation and meticulous sneaking about, and everything falls apart because his fingers fumbled at the last moment.

Gwaine lifts the trademark basket off the floor, every movement heavy with sympathy. “I hate to tell you Deli Boy, but Arthur’s loudly spoken for. He keeps his private life out of the workplace…”

“Yeah, I know.” Merlin says sharply and snatches his basket with frustration. He’ll never catch Arthur before his plane leaves.  


|~~~|

  
It was Merlin’s idea to keep their professional lives separate, but lately a quick glimpse of his tired but smiling face during lunch and tea breaks has been the only thing stopping Arthur from banging his head on the desk for six hours a day. So many times he wanted to push past everyone so he could hug Merlin and whinge to him, kiss him, or maybe nick off for a quickie to relieve some tension instead of having to wait until they got home.

Round Table is in danger of dissolving due to sabotage caused by an employee turned competitor. Arthur’s only hope is an investor who deliberately schedules meetings over weekends and holidays to measure the desperation of those seeking her assistance. Morgana Le Fey is not to be trusted. Arthur knows it in his bones. The search for alternate solutions has been taking its toll and he owes Merlin big time. Especially after the advent he made to cheer Arthur up.

The first eighteen days had been frivolous but then the sentiments became more serious. A foreign postage stamp reminded him of their first holiday together. Token from the mini-golf course where they had their first date. Peanut husk symbolising the carnival they got thrown out of for doing it in the hall of mirrors. The plastic key Arthur put in a half-eaten sandwich and sent back to the deli with an abusive note full of underlined words which, when read separately, suggested they move in together.

He waits for Merlin, heart racing in anticipation.  


|~~~|

  
Merlin’s key hesitates in the lock.

He should have gone to see Arthur off, wish him luck, assure him he has Merlin’s love regardless of the decision he makes concerning Morgana. The desolation left by his foiled plans makes everything look impossible. And now the house will be empty.

Arthur opens the door with an expression of relief. “I thought I heard you. I was called away from the airport for an emergency. Gwaine apprehended the Deli Boy mid … whatever the opposite of pick-pocketing is…”

“Put-pocketing?”

“Yeah, that.” Arthur’s smile fills the bleakest corners of Merlin’s heart. “After Deli Boy bolted, Gwaine had Percival break my door in so they, Leon and Lancelot could search for this.” Arthur hands over three folded sticky notes. “So now they know about us. I hope you don’t mind.”

Merlin is more concerned about something else. “Did they open the notes? Did you?”

“At least one of them did. They all very loudly told me not to, until I caught up with you. Finish your advent Merlin, please.”

“Your plane…”

“Screw the plane. Screw Morgana. I can’t leave you here, alone, as pathetic as you were when I opened the door.” Arthur takes the heart sweets from his jacket pocket. Gone is the marmalade jar he told Merlin about. Now they’re in an elegantly shaped glass phial etched with their names and Christmas 2011. “I’m facing a decision that affects other people’s lives more than my own, and those people are frantic that our relationship is now at risk because of it…Is it?”

Merlin is speechless. His throat and tongue are swollen. He unfolds the pink note from today’s pocket and holds it open for Arthur to read.

_I love you Arthur Pendragon_

Then Christmas Eve:

_Will you please, please, please_  
Merlin had filled the paper with pleases because he knew it would tick Arthur off and make him laugh at the same time. He watches Arthur’s blue eyes roll and his expressive lips quirk. Merlin can feel the weight of the platinum ring safe inside Christmas Day and hands it to Arthur to open. “I was going to surprise you by waiting in the carpark to hear your reply and drive you to the airport, but you left early, and I dropped it…”

Arthur doesn’t unfold the paper. He simply leans forward to kiss Merlin. Only their lips touch.

“Yes Merlin, I’d love to marry you.”  


|~~~|

  
They kiss again as Merlin wiggles the ring over Arthur’s knuckle. Merlin follows up a quick press of lips with another, equally serious question. “But you still won’t accept my money?”

“Merlin…” Arthur can’t let Merlin risk his livelihood. He’s worked himself to a ribbon making his hobby delicatessen a franchise to be proud of.

“I have faith in you Arthur, and the business integrity of your remaining knights. Call Morgana and tell her you’re spending Christmas with your fiancé. If she doesn’t like it…”

Arthur slides his hands over Merlin’s shoulders and back, bending him slightly to one side to kiss him again. Merlin’s smile lights up Arthur’s heart. “I’d rather ally myself with you. There’s no-one I trust more, you know that.”

“What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is mine, making everything ours—or it would if I said it right.”

Without giving Merlin any warning, Arthur flips him over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold and carries Merlin into the bedroom, picking up the jar on the way. He eagerly strips Merlin, who eagerly helps.

“Let’s see, day one was _hi cutie._ ” Arthur opens the jar, tips the contents over Merlin’s navel and rummages through the pile of candies until he finds the correct one.

Merlin chortles and squirms because it tickles, helping to put any hearts that fall onto the bed back on his stomach. “You know, when you suggested this on the phone I didn’t think it would tickle so much. Or get me hard quite so quickly.”

Arthur smiles because he loves these quirky things about Merlin. He continues sorting candies and placing them on various parts of Merlin’s body. Then he returns to _hi cutie_ and places his mouth over Merlin’s skin to pick it up. “Tingly ones!” Fizzy fruit tingles are Arthur’s favourite. “I should spit on one til it starts fizzing then stick it up your arse and watch you squirm.”

“Shove off!” Merlin laughs as he says it, though.

“You’re right, shame to waste a fizzy love heart. I’d have to lick it back out.”

“Oh god, maybe,” Merlin’s hips start the slow, sinuous, hypnotic movements of a snake. “Or get a mouthful and suck me off?”

Arthur likes this idea better, so that’s what he does. Merlin just about jumps off the bed as Arthur’s spit pools to make the lollies fizzle around his knob. They’ll have to remember this one for another time.

They dismiss more suggestions than they try, mostly because they’re keen to get serious.

Merlin asks Arthur to marry him again, verbally this time, as they return uncontaminated candies to the jar. Arthur kneels over him with his hands framing Merlin’s face as he says yes again. Their physical union is as co-operative and passionate as their emotional relationship.

Arthur didn’t want to taint this by adding a fiscal dimension, but it’s obviously important to Merlin. Morgana Le Fey can go jump.  


|~~~|

  
“First order of business after the holidays,” Merlin mumbles as they cuddle on Christmas morning.

“Mm?” Arthur’s pillow enquires. His gorgeous face is under there somewhere.

“Give Gwaine and the others a pay rise for breaking into your office. Even if they can’t be bothered remembering my name.”

“ _ **?**_ You don’t know why they call you Deli Boy, do you?” Arthur’s face peeps out from under his pillow like a chick nestled safely beneath a hen.

“Uh der, I run a delicatessen and was nineteen when I first brought in my business card.”

Arthur’s red and bed rumpled head decides to try life on top of the pillow. “Uh der, no Merlin. Deli – short for delicious. They knew when you first brought your basket offering free samples that you could sell nothing but rat salad on a bun and I’d eat it if that’s what it took to feast my eyes on you again.”

“So it wasn’t my food…!”

“ **They** wouldn’t order from you if it was crap, Merlin. None of them are Gay.”

“Gwaine…?”

“…would flirt with a dead chicken.”

Merlin starts to chuckle, because Gwaine probably would. “Rat salad, on a bun?” he asks and has to chortle some more.

Arthur rolls over to watch him. “It took me almost two years to ask you out, even with hiring you to cater our Christmas parties so I could specifically get you pissed enough to consider me.” He flattens a warm, broad hand against Merlin’s ribs and moves it in random directions. His eyes never leave Merlin’s face. “Thank you for making the advent. If I’d known what was waiting at the end… Your present from me is pretty piss-weak, I’m afraid.”

“Nothing could top the incredible husband you’re giving me.”

“You do a quality job of that, my love,” Arthur says with a kiss, “every time.”

**Author's Note:**

> The game/phrase ‘Put-pocketing’ invented by Andy Lee and Hamish Blake


End file.
